Established in 1985, Lifeline serves people with incomes equal to
or below 135% of federal poverty guidelines. This year, Americans
living in single-person households must earn less than $15,080 to
qualify.

Those who benefit from programs like Medicaid, the National
Free Lunch program, food stamps or Section 8 Housing are also
eligible to sign up.

In other news, the FCC said it hopes to expand its services
by offering Internet to low-income Americans.

"Broadband ... has gone from being a luxury to a necessity in the
21st century," said FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski. "It's increasingly
essential for finding a job, for example, as job postings have
moved online, and for landing a job, as companies increasingly
require basic digital skills."